Boston Craigslists’ “Rants & Raves” – Heads Up For Other News Junkies. It Can Be An Amazing Resource. A Few Gems Among A Lot Of Flotsam.

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by Anura Guruge

As some of you may have worked out I am an inveterate, and now incurable, news junkie. I wake in the morning to either CNN or CNBC and then spend an hour lying in bed, nursing a hot cup of coffee, switching between CNN, CNBC and MSNBC. This week, for obvious reasons, I also watched Boston Channel 7, head and shoulders better than the other two Boston stations.

When I am at my computer, which is quite a few hours a day, I always have a Google News tab open.

But, in reality, when I am working (which can be anything from 8 to 14 hours a day), I get most of my topical news from Craigslists’ Boston “Rant & Raves”! It, as I tell folks, is my barometer to what is really happening out there — beyond New Hampshire. Boston “Rants & Raves” is NOT for a squeamish. There is some pretty vile stuff on there. But, again it shows you what some people are thinking and are feeling.

This week I have been amazed by some of what I read and saw there. On Wednesday, as soon as the likes of CNN and Channel 7 started saying that ‘they’ had video footage of the two perps, somebody (and they all use provocative screen names) posted a picture saying that it was legit. It was very clear. Clearer than anything we were shown on TV the next day or even Friday. It showed the guy in the black cap standing in the crowd. When I then saw the official pictures I was amazed. I am sure it was the same guy.

Tonight, about an hour ago, there was a purported picture of the dead brother, with what I assume are two large bullet wounds pixelated out. It is pretty gruesome and shows some extensive burn marks to the neck and chest. I assume it is is legit. Most of these pictures don’t stay there for long. They get ‘flagged’ or yanked.

What I am trying to get at it is that whoever is posting this stuff has access or contacts. So my trust in CL Boston ‘R&R’ remains intact — though I do have to wade through a lot of unpleasant stuff. I don’t, of course, read all of it. I just scan the titles and only click on those that sound interesting. So this is a heads up for other news junkies. Everything said I probably don’t spend more than 20 minutes, in total, over the whole course of the day checking ‘R&R’. So ROI can be good. I have also learned a lot about what some folks on that ‘list’ think about Indians, Asians and Orientals. Don’t recall Sri Lankans ever getting mentioned, but we probably get lumped in with Indians. As is to be expected it provided many interesting insights during last year’s election season. BUT, be careful. It is not for the sensitive. So please be warned.